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Janet Jackson vs. Nicolette Sheridan |
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The year 2004 was a breakout year in controversy. No, not Eminem like. But on TV, especially in the old-school broadcast world, indecency is the new word in town. It all started with a bang at the end of the Super Bowl halftime show, produced by MTV and aired on CBS to a hundred million football freaks who were shocked when Justin Timberlake tore off a piece of clothing off Janet Jackson's breast to reveal a sun-shaped nipple ring. A fine was later made against the network but not the NFL for thousands of dollars. A few months after that decision, with most networks tape delaying live entertainment events such as the Oscars and Monday Night Football, a Monday Night Football game aired on ABC began with the usual humorous opening that ended with the popular question, "Are you ready for some football"? But most were ready for something different. It was the night after ABC aired the American Music Awards, moving the hit show Desperate Housewives to next week, and ABC creatively put the cast of that hit show with a Philadelphia Eagle, QB Terrell Owens. During the segment, T.O. makes love to one of the housewives, played by Nicolette Sheridan, who later drops her towel that is wrapped around her naked body, and shockwaves were sent around America by mostly older football fans who never saw something crazy in a Monday Night Football game, save for the usual penalties, injuries, and sexy cheerleaders that make the NFL what it is today. A day later, after the Eagles won 49-21 against the Dallas Cowboys, ABC got the message, and the day after, it apologized for the incident, but the FCC won't comment on whether to fine the network just like it did to CBS with the wardrobe malfunction. I think that the MNF incident wasn't as bad as the Janet Jackson incident. Showing a naked back at the end is pretty normal, and the game is watched mostly by males as much as its cable competitor, Monday Night RAW on Spike TV. Here's the final decision: Show MNF on Spike TV and wrestling on ABC. That should do it. |